This paper briefly highlights the socio-historical context in which New Zealand has developed as a nation. In particular it examines how physical education’s initial development was dominated by European thought and more latterly within a bi-cultural context where the needs of an inclusive society are considered. Implicit in this development are the State’s imperatives for education, which over the last two decades have used a totally revised school curriculum as a key strategy in achieving its political and social agendas. To some degree physical education has been complicit in this. However with the relatively newly developed socio-critical physical education curriculum and the new senior school qualifications alternative ways in viewing the movement culture have become apparent. This, these authors argue, guarantees physical education immediate future.
Despite an increase of academic activity directed at sport coaching it continues to lack conceptual frameworks that address the complex realities of the coaching environment. Present practice largely rejects the proliferation of research regarding inadequacies of traditional methods for enhancing athlete learning. Dominant coaching practices forego recognition of the complex responsibilities that a coach has within the cognitive, social, cultural and moral, dynamics of the coaching environment. This article argues that first and foremost a coach is an educator. Given this role, sport coaching needs to develop and align itself with more contemporary developments in education. In this alignment, conceptual frameworks need to be developed. In this development, two questions immediately need to be addressed. First, if the coach is an educator what content can they draw from to educate the athlete in a holistic sense? Second, ‘what pedagogy/pedagogies will enhance this content delivery in order to maximise holistic athlete development?’ Drawing on the supportive arguments of scholars it is suggested that Olympism provides a useful content related coaching framework. In addressing the second question it is suggested that a pedagogical constructivist framework utilizing psychological, social and critical components of constructivism provides the ‘best of constructivist worlds’ The conceptualisation of the two frameworks; An Olympism based content framework and a synthesised constructivist pedagogical framework gives due focus to an overall coaching framework that is educative, engaging and moving coaching in a more professional direction. It consolidates the coach as educator in an environment which is progressive, educationally sustainable and with a strong focus on meaning-making, reflection and reciprocity.
JavaScript is turned off in your web browser. Turn it on to take full advantage of this site, then refresh the page.